Students seem to prefer working with the RUPD, who have a superior reputation…"

Charlie Kratovil of New Brunswick Today is suing to learn more about the jurisdictions of the Rutgers and New Brunswick police departments. NJ.com file photos

NEW BRUNSWICK – A local journalist has filed a lawsuit against the city of New Brunswick and Rutgers University for failure to disclose maps of off-campus areas designating where each police department patrols.

Charlie Kratovil, editor of the online newspaper New Brunswick Today, says he filed an Open Public Records Act seeking the information, but was rebuffed by both the city and the university.

Kratovil's attorney, Walter M. Luers, filed a lawsuit last Friday.

Specifically, Kratovil is seeking maps showing “boundaries or zones delineating the responsibilities of the New Brunswick Police Department and the Rutgers Police Department in New Brunswick,” according to the suit, which was filed in Middlesex County Superior Court.

Kratovil said he has been seeking to learn more about the boundaries since writing a story last year about how New Brunswick police stripped Rutgers cops of their law enforcement powers outside of the city campus.

Since the majority of crimes happen off-campus, Kratovil says he is concerned about the ability of Rutgers police to protect students in those areas.

“With the merger between Rutgers and the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey complete, the RUPD’s workforce grew to include 151 sworn officers, roughly 10 more than NBPD,” Kratovil said in the e-mail.

“There’s still a lot of questions about why Rutgers lost their jurisdiction,” he said.

"The RUPD and NBPD are engaged in a power struggle for strange reasons that have not been fully explained," Kratovil said.

New Brunswick city spokesman Russell Marchetta said this morning he received a copy of the lawsuit on Tuesday but was unable to comment.

“I cannot comment on any pending litigation,” Marchetta said.

Greg Trevor, senior director of Media Relations, told the Daily Targum that Rutgers does not comment on pending litigation.

According to Kratovil, the maps should disclose:

Where the new boundaries are

Why the prior boundaries were changed

How New Brunswick police will handle its new coverage area without increasing its police force

“We have no choice but to sue Rutgers and the City of New Brunswick, both of whom refused to fulfill my Open Public Records Act,” Kratovil stated in a e-mail to the media this morning.

Kratovil said Rutgers did not respond to his request until the lawsuit was filed.

The city of New Brunswick denied the OPRA request, stating the information was confidential, according to Kravotil.

"The maps for which you seek release are not being provided inasmuch as there is a greater public interest in maintaining the confidentiality of these maps when balanced against your interest in obtaining same," City Clerk Dan Torrisi stated in an e-mail to Kravotil.